His thumbnail sketch of each of the characters in the story enables the reader to become personally involved with the trappist community. The book explained how different radical groups arose and why people felt attracted to their ideology and terrorism. French monks killed by algeria, not islamistssource reuters. The late late show with james corden recommended for you. List of books and articles about algerian history online. Vatican city cns a bishop, seven trappist monks and 11 other religious men and women killed by extremists in algeria in the 1990s will soon.
Constitution of the peoples democratic republic of algeria 1989 amended by the constitutional revision of 1996 preamble the algerian people are a free people, and decided to remain so. Questions remain, especially concerning the possible infiltration of the g. Two months later their severed heads were found in a tree. While there he befriended mohammed, a muslim policeman, and together they took weekly walks to discuss politics, culture, and theology. Execution of french monks in algeria, the details middle. Kisers followon book to the monks of tibhirine, commander of the. It centers on the monastery of tibhirine, where nine. Despite being a story of tragedy, the monks of tibhirine is ultimately an uplifting book and an educational one. The armed islamic group said in april that the monks would have their throats cut unless abdelhak layada, a former leader of the group imprisoned under a death sentence by the algerian government.
Although this wasnt clear from the film, the monks. Des hommes et des dieux is a 2010 french drama film directed by xavier beauvois, starring lambert wilson and michael lonsdale. Vatican recognises martyrdom of monks killed during. A french judge has reopened an investigation into the murder of seven monks in algeria whose ordeal is portrayed in the film of gods and men the mystery of what happened to the cistercian monks. Its original french language title is des hommes et des dieux, which means of men and of gods and refers to a verse from the bible shown at the beginning of the film. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. This is an important book for the informed reader and for specialists interested in islam, its relation to christianity, and in the delicate dance of politics and religion in. The theories about their deaths include a charge that the algerian government, which the monks had defied by staying on, had itself ordered their kidnapping with a. I enjoyed reading about founding of the community, the lives of the monks, why they felt the call to be there so far from home, and also about emir abdelkader, an algerian statesman, warrior and religious leader. Fascinating book on the kidnapping and murder of 7 trappist monks in algeria in 1996 by a terrorist group, the gia. The third theory is that while the gia did indeed take the monks hostage and they were killed by the algerian military, the gia was a tool created by the algerian secret services to turn opinion. They were clearly victims of the bloody war between the gia and the state. Throughout the book kiser presents individual testimony of the monks and stories of their daily lives, making the book an intimate journey. This is a muslim christian love story wrapped in a horror story.
Of gods and men is based on the true story of a group of french cistercian trappist monks caught up and ultimately killed in the violence that engulfed algeria in. What makes this book so unusual and yet useful for students is the way the. Shock coverup charges about slain french monks in algeria. For decades, before, during and after the algerian war of independence of the 1960s, those monks had established deep bonds of friendship. Brother jean pierre schumacher is one of two monks who escaped death in the massacre of thibirine, algeria in 1996. Among the most gruesome killings in recent times, no u. The monks of tibhirine is a wellresearched, thoroughly engaging story of the christian presence in algeria today. A french general has said seven french monks murdered in algeria in 1996 were killed by the army there rather than by islamist militants and paris helped cover up the truth, a judicial source said. In the spring of l996 armed men broke into a trappist monastery in wartorn algeria and took seven monks hostage, pawns in a murky negotiation to free imprisoned terrorists.
During the carnage that followed the 1992 cancellation of elections in algeria, seven trappist monks were kidnapped and murdered in 1996 by a group of islamic extremists, one of many armed elements. The monks of tibhirine this zenit article recalls the story, from the perspective of another religious, who was present the night the men were kidnapped. The monks would vote on whether to stay or leave about every six months, said quinson, who knew four of the monks personally and had been given one monks prayer book before he left for algeria. Its the case that wont go away, that of the monks of tibhirine algeria, killed and then beheaded in march, 1996. The algerian experience foreshadowed virtually everything that is going on in the arab world today. The story is about a groups of monks i think 7 people in all it talks about their personal history, their decisions to join the brotherhood, the conflict in algeria and the murder of the monks. Constitution of the peoples democratic republic of algeria. Deeply hurtful book about a group of trappist monks in a famous monastery in the mountains in algeria, a christian enclave in an overwhelmingly muslim nation. The vatican has recognised the killing of seven monks in algeria in 1996 as martyrs for their beatification. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. The monks from the atlas abbey of tibhirine near the city of medea included christian, b.
On the night of march 2627, 1996, seven of the monks were kidnapped during the algerian civil war. But after 1993, as the algerian military governments war against islamic terrorism. The book also includes firstperson narratives from the weeks prior to the abduction of the monks, in letters written by one of the monks to a. The inspiration for the major motion picture of gods and menin the spring of l996 armed men broke into a trappist monastery in wartorn algeria and took seven monks hostage, pawns in a murky negotiation to free imprisoned terrorists. Trappist monk who survived algeria massacre prays for. Gripping account tells past, present of monks kidnapped in algeria. In the spring of 1996, during the algerian civil war, seven french trappist monks refused to leave their monastery in tibhirine, in the algerian atlas mountains. Kiser offers lengthy carefully researched history of the political turmoil in algeria and the ongoing terrorist violence in the country. During the carnage that followed the 1992 cancellation of elections in algeria, seven trappist monks were kidnapped and murdered in 1996 by a group of.
The algerian experience foreshadowed virtually everything that is going. Imam feisal abdulrauf, american sufi muslim association i felt bereft when i finished. Deeply hurtful book about a group of trappist monks in a famous monastery in the mountains in algeria, a christian enclave in an overwhelmingly muslim nation who cared for the people in their community and were greatly beloved, only to be swallowed up in the madness of algerias war against islamist terrorists in the 1990s. Sadly, the story of the monks brings out what is missing in our efforts to understand the muslim world. The monks of tibhirine is a well researched, thoroughly engaging story of the christian presence in algeria today. This book is not the first written about the monks of tibhirine. Its history is a long series of struggles which always made algeria a. Film tells the harrowing true story of martyred algerian monks. In 1996, seven of the small group of trappist monks living in their monastery at tibhirine in algeria were kidnapped and later killed by terrorists. Of gods and men, a french film set in an algerian monastery in the 1990s, is loosely based on the story of seven monks who were kidnapped and decapitated in 1996. In 1996, seven of the small group of trappist monks living in their monastery at tibhirine in algeria were.
The monks have been honoured as christian victims of islamist militancy. The gia has a sordid part in this story, as they apparently abducted the monks after the trappists had been kidnapped by algerian agents in a complicated plot. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Gripping account tells past, present of monks kidnapped in. Of gods and men, a true story of monks in algeria the. This excellent book manages the remarkable task of juggling three important themes at once.